The Canadian legal profession is changing. Technology, AI, evolving client expectations, HR pressures and the economics of running a law firm are reshaping how legal services are delivered.
These issues will be discussed at the Canadian Legal Summit 2026 on October 14 in Toronto. The summit brings together 60+ speakers and legal industry leaders, focused on the future of the profession.
Fraser MacLean, Partner at MacLean Law, will serve as chair of the Small & Mid-Size Firms stream, titled Building & Sustaining Thriving Small & Mid-Size Firms, representing the award winning law firm, MacLean Law.
MacLean Law has built a successful firm with high calibre lawyers and extensive case wins. However, they understand that client service, talent development, technology, growth management and a sustainable business model are also essential elements to maintaining that success.
Building a Modern Small or Mid-Size Firm
Fraser will chair the discussion on small & mid-size firms where some of the most practical challenges facing firms in 2026 will be examined, including profitability, client expectations, recruitment, retention, succession, technology and leadership.
Fraser will open the stream with chairperson remarks before moderating the day’s discussions. The opening panel, Running a Small Firm in 2026: What’s Changing and What Actually Matters, will look at how AI, technology, economic pressures and changing client expectations are affecting the business of law. Topics include profitability, pricing, responsiveness and the use of AI and automation to reduce administrative work.
Fraser will also moderate, From Hiring to High Performance: Rethinking Legal Talent Strategy. The panel will explore how firms can build stronger, more sustainable teams by rethinking how they attract, compensate, develop, and retain talent in today’s legal market. These practical approaches will help attendees improve retention, motivate high performers, and build more effective legal teams.
Growth of the Canadian Law Firm
The agenda also recognizes that building a thriving firm means planning for the long term.
Sessions will address succession planning, leadership development, workplace sustainability and burnout. One session will examine how firms can prepare the next generation of leaders, while another will consider workload management as a business issue affecting firm stability, client relationships and revenue. These are particularly important considerations for firms that want to build something that lasts beyond the careers of individual lawyers.
Fraser brings his experience of working within a growing Canadian family law firm to the conversation. At MacLean Law, he is part of a multi-generational team of senior, mid-level and emerging lawyers handling complex family law matters across British Columbia and beyond.
His professional work has also placed him at the intersection of traditional legal practice and emerging technology. He was lead counsel in Zhang v. Chen, a British Columbia case involving fabricated AI-generated case citations, and has continued to contribute to discussions about responsible AI use in the legal profession.
A Conversation About the Future of Law Firms
The Canadian Legal Summit provides an opportunity to step back from practising law and discuss the bigger picture: What does a successful law firm look like in 2026 and beyond?
For Fraser MacLean, chairing offers an opportunity to bring together lawyers leaders who are confronting the same questions:
- How do we grow without losing quality?
- How do we adopt technology without losing judgment?
- How do we attract talented lawyers?
- How do we meet increasingly sophisticated client expectations?
- How can we build a firm that is sustainable for the future?
As the Canadian legal profession continues to evolve, these questions are increasingly important for firms of every size.
The Canadian Legal Summit takes place October 14, 2026, at CARLU in Toronto.
Fraser MacLean
Fraser MacLean is a partner at the award winning law firm, MacLean Law in Vancouver, British Columbia. He practices law with a focus on cases involving high-net-worth clients. He was named a 2025 Canadian Lawyer Top 25 Most Influential Lawyer and a 2026 Lexpert Leading Lawyer to Watch.
As a strategic advocate and a dedicated lawyer, Fraser is known as an innovator shaping the future of family law in Canada, consistently advocating for his clients in negotiations, mediations and before the courts. He has attained extensive experience, earning a reputation for always going above and beyond in the practice of law on behalf of his clients.
His notable achievements include:
- He was lead counsel in Zhang v. Chen (2024 BCSC 285), Canada’s first reported case involving AI-hallucinated case law, where he successfully exposed fabricated citations and secured a significant costs award.
- He has secured record-setting interim spousal support awards and successfully opposed the recognition of foreign court orders in cross-border disputes.
- He is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America and a co-author of the Chambers and Partners Family Law Guide Canada.
Reach out for a consultation with Fraser MacLean at MacLean Law: 604-602-9000.
